Westminster

Westminster is an inner London borough, occupying much of the central area of Greater London, including most of the West End. It is to the west of the ancient City of London, and its southern boundary is the River Thames. For centuries, Westminster and the City of London were quite distinct, and it was not until the sixteenth century that houses were built on the adjoining fields. In 1540, King Henry VIII briefly made Westminster a city when he gave it its own bishop. In 1900, Westminster became a "metropolitan borough", and it became a city (within London) in 1963. St. James' Palace, Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), and 10 Downing Street are all located in Westminster, as are a large number of parks and open spaces. In 2016, Westminster had a population of 247,600.